Absorber



Feb- 25, 1930- J. A. CAMPBELL ABSORBER Filed DGO 1'7. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l In Ile/2 far Julia/2. bmpe/L Feb. 25, 1930. J. A. CAMPBELL ABSORBER Filed Deo. 17, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet Feb. 25, 1930.

J. A. CAMPBELL ABSORBER Filed Dec. 17, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet i llrratkentedv Feb.r 2,5, kr1930 JULIAN A. CAMPBELL, or LONGBEACH, CALIFORNIAv insomma y i v iippneatien ned December '17, y1927.' serial No. 240,741.

u This invention relates to devices commonl'y; lntnrnJr as' absorbers, orf bubbleitowers, their' function being tok intimately distribute and: u admin gas'or vapor with liquid so as to attain 5- intimate and finelydivided Contact with gas or vapor. t In general, a function of such fanapfparatus is" to establish a condition of vaporr tension equilibrium" between the liqv uidsf .andl vapors and, consequently, such 130i apparatusfmay be used, andare used, either lforthe purpose of absorbing liquids from gases or vaporsforforthe purpose of clean- *ing liquids of entrained gases or vapors. Consequently, although describe my inven- 135 tion 'as an absorber', used, for instance, to absorb ,entrainedr andvaporou's liquids from natural gas, it will be understood that" ther invention. isnot 'limited' to l that particular use.` They absorber described in the follow- 2'@ ing, detaileddescription' has some similarity tothe absorber set out, in my prior applica-- non, serial No; 123,417, nied- Juiy 19,1926.'

l Boththese absorbers Vutilize ar double perfor- ,at'e'cl iioor, the liquid being introduced into the space betw'eenithe floors of a double set,

and the"gasfflowing"upwardly through both floors'. andthrough the space between them,

. f forming amass of froth in Vthefspzvice between e floors yand'.A forcing' the formed froth up '3 through theperforations. of the upper floor,

the froth bei-ngjbrolsen rip/above the upper' ',floor and the liquidbeing conducted to the nent setoffloors bel`ow-,'while the gas passes M on Supl through 'the next set of iioors above..

"5" In some of its aspects the present inventiony relates to improvements uponv that typeV of absorberg'but the present invention is not wholly .restricted or limited to improvements 4g upon that specific type 'of absorber, some of the ianprovlements described infthi's presentV application being; applicable tof other 'types of. absorbers, and furtherA the present, structural improvements proviidfingth'e apparatus a particular. ahad: 'lhlstgmtve form of amm; l forl a new method. which '1s-'made specifically` thesubyect matterfA of claims in a companion. case entitled Method of' absorption, Serial No; 240,742", liled on `evendfate herewith.'

l .'Howevemforthe ypurpose of clearly describ-` of double floors is here chosen. v A characteristic feature of the present ninventiom that type of absorber having sets .vention, as comparedv with my previous absorber structures, resides in the method and structure for transferring the liquid' from apolnt above one floor down to a point above a floor below. In my prior structures, as for' instance in the prior application above referred to, this liquid transfer has been accomplished by having the liquid {iow over thel edges of. pans and then flow down through tubes which lead down from the pans through the floor or floors immediately below and discharge ythe liquid above a floor below'or between the two floors ofthe set next below." The 'present construction embodies an' arrangement utilizing a double shell, the

space between. the two shells serving to pass the liquid downwardly stage by stage. The structure"y lends itself to attainment of. sim! plicity of structure land assembly and the attainment. off high efficiency. It obviates-` the necessity of liquid collecting pans and liquidd'elivery tubes and substitutes a new floor' formation which facilitates collection ofthe liquid for delivery which, particularly; inthe dou-ble floor arrangement," attains very' high efficiency. This last mentionedy floor formation is also acharacteristic improvet the inventionk will now bel best understood fromv a" detailed and specificv description of ratus' embodyingV the invention, reference for this purpose being had to the accompanying drawings inwhich-y n Figi f1 isa fragmentary vertical central section ofthe absorber; 'v

Figs; 22.3,' lea-nd 5 are horizontal cross sections taken respectively on lines 3-3, 4-4, and 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a perspective of one of the inner shell sections; y Y

Fig. 7 is a perspective of anotherof the inner shell sections; n

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical i section in the nature of an enlargement of shell usually containing a float 13 which actsA to operate a valve controlling the liquidoutlet (not shown, as it has no bearing on the. present invention). Near the bottom of the shell there is an internal ring 15 having an up' standing inner flange 16 that forms an annular liquid holding channel around the pe,- riphery of the shell, for the purpose of formi ing a' lliquidi Sau at a point where the liquid is finally `discharged into the vbottom part of the shell, all as will hereinafter appear.

This ring 15 also forms the supporting shelfk which supports the several inner shell sectionsvand the several superposed floors. n

` Briefly described, the shell and floor structure is made up of a series of outer shell sections 20 and 2Oa and aseries of inner shell sections 21, 21el and 21h; with perforated fioors'22 and 23, and an uppermost perforate floor 24, supported and spaced by the several shell sections. n The floors are preferably supported and spaced so that they are located'in pairs, 22 and 23.` Theouter shell sections 20 and 20'-"are all imperforate. Their function being merely to form an outer shell wall for the passages which are located between such outer shell wall and the inner shell wall formed of sections 21 and 21a. Operatively andV functionally the outer shell sections 20 and 20L may be regarded as the outer wall of the double shell structure herein referred to, the outermost continuous shell 10 being provided only for the purpose of mallring the apparatus pressureetight asa whole. VOr the outermost continuous shell 10 may be looked f upon as the outer shell ofthe double Walled structure, the outer shell sections 20 being i provided merely tomale a wall, outside of v which the assemblyvbolts may beffpassed. It

is convenient to run those assembly bolts through the 'edgesof the several floors, to hold the whole structure in aligned position', and itis also convenient to have the several floors extend vtheir edges outwardly past the outer shell sections 20, 20a, as thereby certain perforations in the several floors, registering with the spaces between the kshell sections, may be utilized for controlling and directing the flow of liquid. And it is convenient to have the assembly bolts pass through the sev` Nearv A center these shell sections. 'y bolts are secured at their lower ends to the fairly vsnugly into the outermost main shell y10. 'The edges of these floors, outside the shell sections 20, have notches 25 which pass the vertical assemblybolts 26, and the outer shell sections 20, 2Oau have circular Vribs 20h that, bearing against the bolts, serve to ring 15 and, passingvupwardly through the notched edges of all the floors, and also; Y `l through the uppermost assemblyring k27, y Y,

have nuts 28 at their upper ends, which,being screwed down on spacer tubes 29, compress the whole assembly tightly in a vertical direction and make suiiiciently fluid-tight joints The assembly auY between the several oors and the edges of the j severalshell sections.

The construction of the shell section 21a is similar, with openings 35a and ribs 36a and Y 37a, the only difference between s y p yections 21 and 218L being amatter of height.

Each upper floorY 23 has one or more raised l perforated surfaces 43. In the particular design here shown these raised perforated sur-V faces. 43 are formed as circular lperforated plates raised on circular rims 44 above the V surface of floor 23, each formation 43, 44, being in the -form of'an inverted ypan with a perforated top. rThese inverted pans are spaced apart from each other as shown in the various views so as to allow a considerable space around the pans for separated liquid to collect on the floor 23, the liquidfcollecting Y untilit reaches a height sufficientto flow out through the `openings 35.V f Eachfloor 23 also has peripherally arranged perforations 45`eX-V tending around its complete periphery and in such positions as to register with the annular space between the two concentric shelll sec-` tions 20, 21 and 20a to 21a. Each lower floor4 22 is preferably'perforated over its entire surface within the circle of the shell section 21a, and outside the circleofthat'shell secV tion 21a`it has perforations 46 .extending aroundv half of its periphery only, these perforations registering with a half-annular s space between the'shell sections 20, 21,V and 20a, 21a. the several vshell sections 20V, 21, 20aand 21abr are` all of identic construction, Vbut are assembled in such a manner as to controland direct the flow of liquids as will now-be described.`

The uppermost inner shell section 21b may be identic in structure ywith shell section 21,

but is inverted, so that itsopenings 35" come i near its upper edge rather than near its lower edge'. .v n v l In operation as an absorber it will be un The several yfloors 22-and3--23 and i Luarca derstoodtlrat ricllrv gas fed underpressure` int'orthelower endA of' shell 10', the gas passing upwardly through the several tloors, and' the denud'ed gas finallyv pasingolf 4 through y the gas'olutlet- 50- at they top.A At the same time, absorbing voil is 'being introduced through-a suitable oil inlet, such as indicated atv 51, the oil feeding-throu gh perforated dis-l tribution pipeV 51?' out over the uppermost VKperforated! floor 24 and rising, as froth, to. a level wherethe oil-freni broken froth over-v flewsthiough openings-35-h ofshell section 21h. Flowing through these openings the Oi'l iows into-a half annular space between shellll section 21b and a correspondingv concentricv section 20, 'being restricted to that half-*annular space bythe two ribs 37. The vuppermost floor 24 has asemi-circular series of .perforations 462L similar tothe perforatier-)046 of floors 22 ,f and the oilflows downf .-wardlyv through theseperforations v46a into the 'half Vannular space A kinnnediately 'below' and between the next-lower shell sections 21 v s suitable number of floor sets; but for the p so and 20.v An: absorber constructed in accord ance4 with my inventionf inay contain any purpose of explanation, I will. suppose` that the upper setshown in Fig. 1 and in Fig. 8i isthe uppermost.v setof the absorber. Tl'ius theoil will first How downn through the halfy annular space A, betweenk shell sections 20 andi'21, at the right-handiside of Figs. 1 and 8f, and thence the oilV will'llow through the perforations of floor. 23 into*y the hal-f an-V 'nular space B5 between shell sections 2Oa and 2?'1a and between floors 22 andi 23. Thence-the oil will flow directly through; openings 35 intothespace C" inside shell section 21:L andy betweenthe two: floors 22y and 23. n Here the oil, spreading outover 191001122, ispiclred up bythe gasy passing vup through that perfo Y rated floor vand a inassof frothl is formed,

rthis mass of Vfroth rising' and filling the inf verted pans 43, untill the froth isy forced upthrough the perforations in. plates 43.

' The. comparative aggregate yperforation y areas of floors 22 and 23 are preferably suchv ofpl'ates 43 is about hal-f of the tota-l area ofl L 'a floor 22; so that'the aggregate perforation area of anupper floor 233i'sl about twice the aggregate perforation area of the lower vfloor 22.. Butfthelower floor passes gas-only, while Y v frothedascolnpletelyaispossible Thisniass of" froth/frnoyesupf under the gaspressure andi the upper floor passes; both gas and liquid', and-in an average casefthe velocities through thetwol'floors isI consequently somewhat near:

equality; The action atv and abovelthe lower floor isfto forni a mass of. froth,y the oil' being isty forced through the upper floor perforations. At the upper floor pcrforations the froth bubbles are reduced tol substantially uniform size, and any unfrothed gas and oil is formed into bubble formation. In other words,vtherst action at theupper plate perforationsrnay be considered tobe to inake the froth more uniform, as a preliminary to disrupting the froth and atoniizing the oil. The velocity through the perforations-the expansion of the gas above the perforations breaks upthe kfroth bubbles and forms the oil into an exceedingly line inist floating in the gas above the upper floor. This inist falls through the gas, the collecting liquid flowing ldown' below the pan tops to collect on the floor 23'- around the pans. owsout through the-openings 35 at the lefthand side of shell section 21 into the half annular space D (see Fig. 8)V between that shell section and shell section 20. Here the oil flows down through `floor perforations 45, through space E between shell sections 20aL and 2lil and {ioors 23' and 22, and 'thence the oil lowsthrough the floor perforations 46 at the left-hand side of floor 22 and into-k and through the half-.annular space A1 between the next lower shelll sections 2() and 21. Halfan-nularspace A1 is'the saine as half-annular space A except that it isarranged at the opposite side of the assembly. The oil flows directly downwardly through space A1 and on down through floor perforations intothe left-handhalf-annular space B1 between the next lower shellsections 20a andV 21a. `Here the oilstoppedl from further downward flow by part 212a of floor 22, flows again through openingsv35f1' which, in this shell section 21, are arranged at the leftV of the apparatus as shown in the drawings, the oilflowing into the circular space' C1 inside shell 21a between floors 22 andg 23'. The oil is here againl subjected to the action of the upwardly flowing' Thence the oill Sill gas, the froth rising and being forced through perforated plates43', the gas being freed topass on up through the next perforated fl'oor'22`, and the atoniizedl and col?, lected oil' flowing down around' pan walls 44 ontoloor 23, and! thence out through. opening 35', at the right-hand side of shell section 21, into-*and through the half-annular space D1' at theA 4right hand side of the asseinbly.

Thence. the oil Hows down through floor peryforations 45 and 46 and through right-hand half-annular space E1, and into right-hand half annular space A2. This space A2 is anv exact counterpart, both in structure and position, withthe first mentioned half-annular space A; and the lowof the eil froniherc on down through the apparatus is repetitions of ythe flow-now fully' described'. Upon leaving the last and lowerniost floor set, the oil Willy pass'through the openings 35 such las thosey shown at the lower left side of Fig.l 1`, and', passing` through perforations 45 and46 nshell section 21, over the seal flange 16, and

drops down into the body of oil which normallystands in the bottom of shell 1t). This final passage of the oil is indicated'bythe arrows at the lower-left-hand side of Fig. 1.

. The oil being formed into a fine mist above each floor, falls out ofthe gas rather slowly. f

Consequently, in operating at'vreasonable gas flow velocity a certain amount of the mist, but nota large proportion, is carried up with the gas through the next perforated floor 22 where it is merely caught by and merged in the froth being formed there. To prevent any oil mist being carried out ofthe apparatus abovetheuppermost floor 23 I have provided the uppermost perforated floor 24A4 (which is like floors 22 but without any associated floor 23). The incoming oil islirst distributed in a thin layer over floor 24.' The gas rises through that layer, forming and raising a mass of froth whose level rises to the lower edges of openings 35h. At the upper froth surface, and at the opening edges which are preferably sharp, the froth breaks up, freeing the gas to pass on up and out outletO as substantially dry gas, the freed oil flowing ythrough openings 35h topass down through theapparatus. As shown 'in the drawings, the upper iioor is spaced considerably from the top of the shell, this being commonly done in order that entrained liquid. particles in the gas may drop backonsaid door. ,Y

From what has been said it is now readily understood that the several floors and the sev-V eral shellsections, with their respective openings and perforations, are so assembled that aV passage is formed for the oil at one side of the structure from a point above an upper floor of one set directly down to a point between Vthe two fioors of the -set next below. Then the structural assembly is suchA that an oil` that last mention-ed next lower set. .Such al` ternate passage of theoil down through the apparatus at opposite sides is kept up until the oil is finally discharged. The reason for i `23,.and this it does bypassing through the lesY dividingthe annular spaces into halves will now Vbe seen. Considering any one upper floor 23, it will be seen that the oil first passes down though its perforations 45 at one side. Then the oil passes upwardly through the central parts of that floor in the form of froth. The resultantly freed oil, fromthe mist, must then again pass down through' that saine iioor perforations 45at the other side of that same floor 23...', The oil thuspasses through each f floor-23 three different times, once Vinside thev inner shell 21, and twice in the annular space outside that inner shell 21. T o keepthe two outside passages of oil separated, 'the'annular space outside shelll 21 is dividedby ribs 37, into two half-annular'spaces, as A and D, orv

A1 and D1. After-the oil passes down last through a fioor 23 it' must then'pass directly down through the' floor22 immediately be-v neath in order to pass on down through the and 22, outside shell 21a, and thisflowV of oilA must be kept separate from the previous flow of the oil through that same annular space at the opposite side. ,For this reasonsaidvannua c f lar space is divided into two half-annular spaces, as B and E,-or.1B1 and El, by the'dividing ribs 37a,

` It will be see-n that in one aspect of this apA paratus, the upper floor 23 of each set maybev viewed merely as a perforated floor.V vThe raised perforated surfaces are provided so that the froth will be delivered into thek space i above floor 23 without having to pass through the oil thatis constantly.accumulating over" that floor; so that there is no further tendency to form froth but, on the contrary, an action v to atomize the oil by breaking up the thin oil tions are regulated so that the oil level never,

rises above the perforated plates 43, and the amount ofunatomized oil yfroth above plates i3 is,in practice., foundy to be-so small that neitherit nor the oil, interferes with theatom-` izing action. Furthermore, they accumulated oil' that flows on down to the next set is found Y tobesubstantially wholly freed of gas. f

the oil, afteriiowing into .space vD, for in.-V stance, then iows dowirbetween the spaced and B1 just as if the found spaces D, E, Ai

shell sections and through spaces vE and A1` Considering the paths of flow. of the liquid` .l oil through the apparatus, it will be seen .that l and B1 formed one continuous space or pas;

in Fig. 8, and thefloor 23-of the 'lower set yin that figure, did notcross the annular space between the spaced shells. "Thelonly point` where a horizontal'obstruction of thev half-A annular spacebetween Vthe `shells is neces-V sary is at, or approximately at, the levelrof the next lower ioorf22"(at ,the lower lefthand in Fig; 81, forathe elementshere. under'y the floors 23 and 22 of the upper set, as shown consideration). Thus, so far as functional i annular spaceat the left ofFig. Scan be disoperation is'concerned', the vextension of those:

three specified upper oors through the half-f lo regarded.; ima um peripheral paranoias lowci-niost floor 22, markedv 22a in the. lower:

. left-handportifon. of Fig.. 8, may be regardedy I broadly as` any horizontal .Stop extending across.the halfannular space at the 'lower -leftfoflfigr Thus in. a broader aspectr of inykinvention, the extension of the three said yzontalflow stopis providedfin a very simpley manner, andthe design and' kconstruction of the lseveral floors, as well as the several shell Sections, is standardized.y i 'I claim: Y

l. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a double-walled j25p`shell with an annular space between the walls, a 'plurality of-spaced superposed perforated floors within the inner wall, said inner wall having openings at onev side above one *i j floor andat thefopposite side above the Hoor next below, and dividing ribs separating the space between the walls at .one side from said space between th'e'walls at the other side,

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a double-walled shellv with an annular space Ybetween the walls, a plurality of spaced superposed p erfov'rated floors .within thel inner wall,said inner wall having openings at one side above onel i floor and at the opposite side above the floor 40 neXt below, and dividing ribs separatingv the' space betweeiithe walls at one side from said space between the walls at the other side, the floors extending horizontally through the Hoor having openings therethrough at one vsideonly, r 'v 1 l 3.` InA anr apparatus of the character rdei scribed, the combination of a double-walledy j openings at the opposite side, and the inner wall at a point between the two lioors of the last Ymentioned set having openings there through at theviirst mentioned'side, means dividing 'the annular space between the two saidf opposite sides, and horizontal stop means insaid annular space at the level yof the lowery floor of the last mentioned floor `set and space between the double walls, and each' at; the iii-rst lmentioned side of said annular space... f v

Y 4; In an appara-tusl of the' character de scribed,I the combination of a double-walled. shell with an annular space between the walls. thereof, a plurality of vertically spa-ced sets of perforated floors,l within the inner wall, each set comprising two superposed spaced perforated floors, the: inner .wall above the upper foorqof one floor rset having openings` atgonenside, the inner wallv abo-ve the upper floor kof a, floorset nent below having openings. at they opposite side and the inner wall at a, pointbetween the two floors of the last mentioned set having openings therethrough at the iirst mentioned side, means dividing the. annular space between the two said oppo site sides, and horizontal stop means said. annular space at they level of the lower licor of the last mentioned iocr set and at the. first, mentioned sideof said annular space; .the

vupper perforated. floor of each. floor-set cluding raised perforated, portions of. limited' area, said perforated portionsbein-g at a level above the shell wall openn gs which are above that floor.

In an apparatus v'of the character de- ,scribed7 a shell, a. Hoor across the shell, said. floor having a limited raised and perforated area,;means to feed liquid and gas up through said perforated floorarea and means foi1 talring oiftheliquid at a level above the floor but below the level of the raised. perforated area..

6'.x ln, an apparatus of the character described'1 a plurality of vverticallyspaced sets Q perforated'. floors,qeach set comprising a superposed spaced .pair vof perforated floors, spaced concentric shell. sections between sets ofi'flo'ors, spaced concentric shell sections be-l tween the loorsof each set, said concentric shell sections forming annu-lar spaces between the'floor setsand-annular spaces between the floors of eachset,divisionribs extending between the concentric shell sections dividing said annular spaces into half. annular spaces, the inner shell section above an upper floor of'V one. set., having. openings therethrough through communicating with said'. half annu,-

ioo

iro

lar'space',tlie upper floorof the next floor set i belowhaving an opening therethrough commnnicatingwith the said half annular space, theV inner shell section. below saidlast men.-

`tio'ne'dl licor having openings therethrough communicatin with said half annular space, theinner Shel/section above said last mentioned floork having openings therethrough communicating with vthe opposite half annular -space and the said. last mentioned floor andthe corresponding lower floor of its, floor y fset having openings therethrough communieating with said-1 last mentioned half annular space., y g.

` 69' lar space atthat same side of the shell section,

municating with .the half annular space above 'said upper loorofthat set, both the iioors ofL said set having openings therethroughcommunicating with said half annular space, the upper floor of the next floor set below having an openingl therethrough communicating with the said half annular space, the inner shell section'below said last mentioned floor 4having openings therethrough communicating with said half annular space, ythe inner shell section abovefsa'id last mentioned floor having openings therethrough rcommunicatcommunicating with'k the half annular space at i the same side ofthe shell section, and the setv spacing shell section above'said last menf tioned .Hoor set having an opening there-- through at a level below the level ofthe per-` forated raised' portion ofthe upper floor of v that set communicating with' the half annular space at the opposite side of the shell section'.y

9. In an apparatus Vof the character de' scribed,a shell, ya iloor `across the shell,said floor having'a raised and perforated area,

means to feed liquid and gas up through said perforated floor area, and means for taking off the liquid from the floor ata point below Y the level ofthe raisedlperforated area- In witness that I claim'the foregoing Ik vhave hereuntoV subscribed my name` this 28 i day of November, 1927. f. l A 1 l I l' JULIAN A.

ing with Athe opposite halfannular space, and the said last mentioned floor and the corre-vY sponding lower floor ofits floory set having openings therethrough communicating' with said last mentionedy half annular space; the upper floorr of eachfloor set having raised perforated portions,7said perforated portions being at an elevation above the saidshell l openings-that are above said floor. 8,l In., an apparatus of the character dev scribed, a plurality of vertically spaced sets v,

of perforated floors, each floor set comprising n y a lower perforated oor'and an upper perforated floor, the upper floor having a part of its s urface raised and its perforations being f in the/raised surface, inner'and outer set spacing shell sections ,between adjacent iioor sets, said shell sections being substantially concentric and spaced apart to, provide an annular `space therebetween, inner land outer floor spacing shell sections between the floors of each set', vsaid shellsections being substantially concentricV and-spaced apart, to*

provide an lannular space; therebetween, divisionribs dividing said annular spaces into registering half annular spaces, the inner set spacing shell section above one set. having 'icc f its K openings therethrough yat a level Vbelow the raised perforated portions of the upper floork ofY that set communicating with the half annular space at one side of the shell section, both the loorsfof that set having an opening therethrough registering with the half'annu- Y the upper floor of the set next below having an openingregistering with the half annular t Y space at the same side of the shell section, the

Vinner floor spacing section ofvsaid lastmen- Y tioned set vhaving an opening therethrough 

